Selector switch



Aug. 22, 1961 R. c. KINSMAN SELECTOR SWITCH Filed Sept. 15, 1958 Fig.3.

Fig.2.

INVENTOR Russeil C. Kinsman WITNESSES ATTORNEY United States PatentSELECTOR SWITCH Russell C. Kinsman, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to The tBryant Electric Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corpo ration ofConnecticut Filed Sept. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 761,244 Claims. (Cl. 200-5)The present invention relates generally to electric wirmg devices andmore particularly to a novel and versatile selector switch.

In the past, single-pole double-throw and double-pole single throwselector switches have been constructed wherein the movable contacts areoperated by a single cam and the travel of the cam is limited by theactuating handle of the switch. For each two and three-positionswitching arrangement, an individual cam is normally required.Additionally, a diiferent actuating handle is used for two andthree-position switching. For twoposition switches, a total of fourdifferent cams would be required to cover all switching arrangements andfor three-position switching, a total of nine cams would be required tocover all sequences of switch operation. Thus, it may be seen that atotal of thirteen different cams and two difierent operating handleswould be necessary in order to market selector switches to cover allpossible switching sequences.

The present invention eliminates the requirement for manufacturing andstocking a great number of cams and handles by providing a pair ofcooperating cam members which may be assembled to achieve all thirteencam arrangements. The selector switch is additionally provided with aversatile actuating handle which allows either two or three-positionswitching.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a noveland versatile selector switch requiring relatively few parts foraccomplishing a plurality of switching sequences.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel and versatileselector switch having an actuating handle for limiting the travel ofthe operating cams whereby a plurality of ditferent switching positionsmay be accomplished with the same handle.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a cam operatedselector switch for selectively energizing and deenergizing a number ofswitches in a plurality of sequences through the utilization of a pairof cooperating cam members.

Still another'object of this invention is to provide a novel cam for aselector switch which includes a pair of interengaging cam members.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a versatile camarrangement for a selector switch including a pair of interengaging cammembers and an operating handle cooperating with the cam members forproviding a plurality of switching sequences.

For a detailed description of a specific embodiment of this invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisapplication, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view of a selector switch incorporating thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the selector switch shown in FIG. 1 and havingthe operating handle removed;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the selector switch shown in FIGS. 1 and2, taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2 and including the operatinghandle;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the operating handle utilized with theswitch shown in FIGS. 1 through 3; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are top and bottom views, respectively,

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of the cams utilized by the switch shown in FIGS. 1 through 3.

A selector switch constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention may comprise a flat support plate 2 constructed of amaterial having suitable strength, such as sheet steel. The supportplate 2 is provided with a circular opening 4 adapted to expose portionsof the selector switch to an operating handle 6. A plurality of indexingrecesses 8, with an opening at the base of each recess 8, are formed inthe support plate 2 and are circumferentially spaced about the opening4. The support plate 2 is also provided with a travel limitingprojection 10 rigidly secured thereto and extending outwardly from thefront surface thereof and located adjacent the opening 4.

The operating handle 6 is preferably formed from an insulating materialand is generally cylindrical in shape and may be provided with a pointer'12 extending diametrically outwardly from one side thereof forindicating the position of the switch. The under side of the handle 6 ispreferably provided with a pair of diametrically opposed recesses 14adapted for receiving the handle indexing means. The under surface ofthe handle 6 is also provided with a pair of circumferentially spacedtravel limiting slots 16 and 18 adapted to cooperate with the projection10 on the support plate 2 for limiting the rotation of the handle 6 in amanner to be described hereinafter. The travel limiting slot 16 isconstructed of such length as to allow rotation of the switch handle 6to two positions and the travel limiting slot 18 is constructed of agreater length as to allow three-position rotation of the handle 6.Indexing of the switch handle is accomplished by a pair of indexingsprings 20 and a pair of indexing balls 22.

As seen in FIG. 3, each of the indexing springs 20 is located in anindexing recess 14 on the switch handle. Each indexing ball is adaptedto seat on the outer coil of an indexing spring 20 and to be locatedpartly in a recess 14 when engaged in one of the indexing recesses 8 inthe support plate 2' to define a switch position. The operating handle 6is secured to the support plate 2 in a manner to be describedhereinafter with the travel limiting projection 10 located in one of thetravel limiting slots 16 or 18. The indexing springs 20 bias theindexing balls 22 into engagement with the support plate 2 and therecesses 8' are located in the path of motion of the indexing balls 22with the handle 6. It may, therefore, be seen that indexing of theoperating handle 6 is accomplished as the indexing balls 22 pass fromone of the recesses 8, upon rotation of the handle, to force theindexing balls up into the recesses 14 thereby compressing the springs20 until the indexing balls 22 are moved to an adjacent recess 8.

It is to be noted that when the travel limiting projection 10 is locatedin the travel limiting slot 16, the operating handle 6 is movable sothat two positions, defined by the recesses 8, may take place and whenthe travel limiting projection 10 is located in the travel limiting slot18,"

the operating handle may be moved to three different positions asdefined by the recesses 8. It may be seen that either two orthree-position switching can be accomplished with the same operatinghandle depending upon the location of the travel limiting projection 10relative to the handle. It may be further seen that different numbers ofswitching positions may be utilized with a single operating handledepending upon the length of the travel limiting slots 16 and 18 and thenumber of recesses 8 employed.

The undersurface of the actuating handle 6 is provided with a centrallylocated outwardly extending circular projection 24 which is adapted tobe located in the opening 4 of the support plate 2. A pair ofdiametrically opposed integral cam engaging projections 26 extendoutwardly from the outer end of the projection 24 and are adapted toengage correspondingly spaced recesses in the upper surface of a cam 28to prevent relative rotation between the cam 28 and the operating handle6.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention a pair of identical cams28 are provided for each selector switch and may be formed from the samematerial as the handle 6. Each of the cams 28 is generally cylindricalin shape and is provided with end surfaces 30 and 32. Each cam 28 isprovided with a high surface 34 extending radially outwardly from theside surface of the cam adjacent the end surface 32 thereof. The endsurface 32 is provided illustratively with six recesses 36 and a pair ofoutwardly extending projections 38 formed integrally therewith so thateach recess 36 and projection 38 is located at the same radial distancefrom the center of the cam and are equally spaced apartcircumferentially, with the projections 33 being diametrically opposed.The end surface 30 of each cam 28 is provided with eight recesses 40therein spaced at the same radial distance from the center line of thecam and equally spaced apart circumferentially. It is to be noted thatthe recesses 40 formed on the end surface 30 of the cam 28 are notaligned with the recesses 36 and the projections 38 formed on the endsurface 32. Thus, while the recesses 40 and 36 and the projections 38are spaced at equal distances from the center line of the cams 28 (FIG.and equal distances apart circumferentially, the recesses 40 arestaggered in angular relation, here in the amount of 22 /2, from therecesses 36 and the projections 38. It may, therefore, be seen that thecomplete actuating cam for the selector switch is assembled by matingthe end surfaces 32 of the two earns 28 so that the projections 38 ofone of the cams 28 are located in a pair of opposed openings 36 in theother cam 28. Similarly, the projections 38 of the other cam 28 arelocated in a pair of opposed openings 36 of the one cam 28. It may alsobe seen that such an assembly of the earns 28 may be madein sixdifferent manners so that the high surfaces 34 of the cam may beradially spaced from each other at six different angles. The camengaging projections 26 of the operating handle 6 are located so thatthey may engage any pair of diametrically spaced recesses 40 in thesurface 30 of a cam 28. It may also be seen that the cam engagingprojections 26 may engage the openings 40 of the cam 28 so that the highsurface .34 of the cam 28 is located in eight different positions withrespect to the handle pointer 12. It may, therefore, be seen that byproper assembly of the two cams 2S and the operating handle 6,substantially any desired two position or three-position switchingsequence may be accomplished.

The high surfaces 34 of the earns 28 are adapted to engage and depresspush button actuators 42 of switches 44, respectively, at apredetermined rotative position of the handle 6. While the switches arenot shown in detail, they may comprise any known switching constructionof this type, such as the push button operated snap action switch shownin Patent No. 2,748,214 to Ralph E. Immel, issued May 29, 1956 andentitled Switch.

For purposes of illustration, a pair of switches 44 of the type shown inthe noted Immel patent are secured to the support plate 2 on oppositesides of the opening 4 thereof. The switches 44 may be secured in anyknown manner, such as by screws 46, which extend through openings 48 inthe casing of the switches 44 and threadedly engage openings 50 locatedin the support plate 2 which are aligned with the openings 48 of theswitches 44, respectively. The push button actuators 42 of the switches44 are located to be engaged by the high surfaces 34 of the upper andlower earns 28, respectively, at prede termined rotative positions ofthe operating handle 6.

-It is to be noted that when the highsurface 34 of a cam 28 engages apush button actuator 42 of a switch 44, actuation of the switch 44 takesplace whereby an electrical circuit is made or broken. It is to be notedfurther that the high surfaces 34 of both the upper and lower cams 28(FIG. 3) extend outwardly along 21 segment of the axis thereof, whichsegment is from the under surface of the support plate 2, so thatidentical switches a may be mounted on the support plate 2 and may beactuated by the high surface 34 of either the upper or the lower cam 23.

To assemble the selector switch, the indexing springs 2d and indexingballs 22 are located in the recesses 14 of the handle 6. The handle 6 islocated to engage the upper side of the support plate 2 so that theprojection 24 of the handle 6 is located in the opening 4 of the supportplate 2. Depending upon whether two or three-position switching isdesired, the handle 6 is rotated so that the travel limiting projection10 is located in either the travel limiting slot 16 or the travellimiting slot 18. The upper and lower cams 28 are assembled in themanner previously described so that the high surfaces 34 thereof arespaced apart at the desired angle. The cams 28 are located on theopposite side of the support plate 2 so that the cam engagingprojections 26 of the handle 6 are located in the desired recesses 40 ofthe upper cam 28 (FIG. 3). Each of the earns 28 is provided with acentrally located opening 52 extending completely therethrough, and theprojection 24 of the handle 6 is provided with a centrally locatedthreaded opening 54. The cams 28 are secured to the handle 6 by means ofa screw 56 which extends through the openings 52 of the cams 28 andthreadedly engages the opening 54 of the handle 6.

Thus it may be seen that by merely providing a pair of identicalinterengaging cams which may be assembled so that the high surfacesthereof may be spaced apart at a plurality of distances and by providingthe cams with means thereon whereby each high surface may be located ata plurality of locations with respect to the pointer of the operatinghandle, a very versatile selector switch can be constructed whereby aplurality of switching sequences can be accomplished. By the provisionof an operating handle which cooperates with the switch support plate tolimit the rotation of the bandle, a plurality of switching positions maybe utilized for operating the selector switch. Furthermore, while onlytwo cams are shown in the described specific embodiment of theinvention, it is to be noted that any number of cams may be stacked inthe manner described so that a. corresponding number of switches may beoperated thereby in any desired sequence.

Although only one particularform of a selector switch incorporatin thevarious features of the invention has been shown and described, it is tobe realized that other modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is desired thatthe foregoing description be interpreted in an illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a support plate for a wiring device and an operatinghandle, said operating handle having a surface thereon located adjacentone side of said support plate and being .movable relative thereto, aplurality of recesses of unequal length located in said surface of saidhandle, a projection extending outwardly from said one side of saidsupport plate and having a portion thereof located in one of saidrecesses to cooperate therewith to limit movement of said handle withrespect to said support plate, whereby the relative movement of saidhandle can be varied by locating said projection in different ones ofsaid recesses in said handle surface.

2. In combination, a support plate for a wiring device and an operatinghandle, said operating handle having a surface thereon located adjacentone side of said plate and rotatable relative thereto, rotation limitingmeans located on said support plate and said handle surface, one of saidmeans comprising a plurality of arcuate recesses of unequal lengthlocated equidistantly from the axis of rotational motion, the othercomprising an outwardly extending projection having a portion thereoflocated in one of said recesses to cooperate therewith to limit therotation of said handle with respect to said plate, whereby the relativerotation of said handle may be varied by locating said projection indifferent ones of said recesses.

3. A selector switching comprising, a support plate having an openingextending therethrough, an operating handle located on one side of saidsupport plate having a surface thereon located adjacent one side of saidsupport plate and rotatable relative thereto, means for limiting suchrotation located on said handle surface and said support plate, one ofsaid means including a plurality of slots of unequal length locatedequidistant from the axis of rotational movement, the other of saidmeans comprising a rotation limiting projection having a portion thereoflocated in one of said slots to cooperate therewith to limit movement ofsaid handle with respect to said support plate, so that the relativemovement of said handle can be varied by locating said rotation limitingprojection in other ones of said slots, at least one cam mounted on theother side of said support with an end surface thereon engaging theouter end of said handle portion, said cam having a high surfaceextending outwardly from one side thereof, means for locating said highsurface at predetermined positions with respect to said handle includingcooperating elements mounted on said outer end of said handle portionand said end surface of said cam, one of said cooperating elementscomprising a projection and the other a plurality of recesses, saidprojection being located in one of said recesses to locate said highsurface at one position with respect to said handle, whereby therelative location of said high surface and said handle can be varied bylocating said projection in others of said recesses, and means to securesaid handle and said cam together with said support plate locatedtherebetween.

4. In combination, a support plate for a wiring device and an operatinghandle, said operating handle having a surface thereon located adjacentone side of said support plate and being movable relative thereto, aplurality of recesses of unequal length located in said surface of saidhandle, .a projection extending outwardly from said one side of saidsupport plate and having a portion thereof located in one of saidrecesses to cooperate therewith to limit movement of said handle withrespect to said support plate so that the relative movement of saidhandle can be varied by locating said projection in different ones ofsaid recesses in said handle surface, at least one cam having a highsurface mounted on the other side of said support plate, and means forpositioning said cam relative to said handle so that the cam highsurface can be accorded varied positions relative to said handle.

5. In combination, a support plate for a wiring device and an operatinghandle, said operating handle having a surface thereon located adjacentone side of said support plate and being movable relative thereto, aplurality of recesses of unequal length located in said surface of saidhandle, a projection extending outwardly from said one side of saidsupport plate and having a portion thereof located in one of saidrecesses to cooperate therewith to limit movement of said handle withrespect to said support plate so that the relative movement of saidhandle can be varied by locating said projection in different ones ofsaid recesses in said handle surface, at least a pair of identical camsmounted on the other side of said support plate, each of said camshaving a high surface, means for positioning one of said cams relativeto said handle so that its high surface can be accorded varied positionsrelative to said handle, and means for positioning the other of saidcams relative to said one cam so that its high surface can also beaccorded varied positions relative to said handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS912,717 Murphy Feb. 16, 1909 2,480,410 Hammerly Aug. 30, 1949 2,605,367Cochran July 29, 1952 2,699,479 Gorham Jan. 11, 1955 2,711,450 Carr June12, 1955

